The Peterbilt 200, better known as the Mid-Ranger, was the model with which Peterbilt entered the medium-duty market in 1987. It was a low-cab cabover assembled in Brazil, using a cab bought in from MAN and an American drivetrain, and it stayed in the range until 1999.
Peterbilt 200 at a glance
| Maker | Peterbilt Motors Company (PACCAR) |
|---|---|
| Production | 1987–1999 |
| Class | medium-duty, Class 5–7 |
| Layout | cab-over-engine, low cab forward |
| Cab | MAN G90, a wide-body version of the Volkswagen LT cab |
| Assembly | Brazil |
| Drivetrain | American-market components |
| Sold through | Peterbilt and Kenworth dealers |
| Successor | Model 210/220, introduced in 1998 |
| Role in the range | Peterbilt’s first medium-duty model line |
Peterbilt history describes the Mid-Ranger within the story of the company rather than in a separate article; this page uses that section and the model entry in the list of Peterbilt vehicles.
History of the Peterbilt 200
For its first half-century Peterbilt built heavy trucks only, and the Mid-Ranger of 1987 was the point at which the company finally entered the medium-duty market. Rather than develop a light cab of its own, PACCAR took the MAN G90 cab, a wide-body version of the Volkswagen LT, and had the truck assembled in Brazil, fitting it with American-market drivetrain components. The result was sold through both Peterbilt and Kenworth dealers, the two PACCAR divisions that had competed with each other since 1944.
The Mid-Ranger was laid out as a low-cab cabover, with the cab sitting above the front axle and the engine underneath it. That gave a short overall length and a low floor, the combination that medium-duty operators wanted for delivery work and municipal service. In the Peterbilt numbering of the period the truck carried the plain designation 200, with Mid-Ranger used as its sales name.
The model was replaced in 1998 by the 210/220, a new low-cab cabover derived from the DAF LF after PACCAR bought DAF. The Mid-Ranger had shown that Peterbilt could sell lighter trucks, and the company followed it with conventional-cab medium-duty models beginning with the 330 in 2000. The Brazilian-built Peterbilt is now a rare sight, and survivors are usually recognised by the imported cab with its European proportions.
Design and features
- First medium-duty Peterbilt: the 200 opened a market the company had left to others since 1939.
- European cab: the MAN G90 wide-body cab, related to the Volkswagen LT, gave the truck a roomy cab-over layout.
- Low cab forward: the cab sits over the front axle, shortening the truck and lowering the floor for frequent stops.
- American drivetrain: the Brazilian assembly was matched to components expected by North American buyers.
- Two dealer networks: PACCAR marketed the same truck through Peterbilt and Kenworth outlets.
Peterbilt 200 versions
- Mid-Ranger (1987–1999): the Peterbilt version of the low-cab cabover, sold as the Model 200.
- Kenworth version: the same PACCAR vehicle was offered through the Kenworth division.
- Model 210/220 (from 1998): the DAF LF-based replacement in Class 6–7.
The medium-duty line continued with the conventional-cab Peterbilt 330 and the heavier 335; the refuse-oriented cabover is covered in the article on the Peterbilt 320. More trucks are in the Peterbilt collection.
Sources
- Peterbilt, English Wikipedia: medium-duty entry in 1987, MAN G90 cab, Brazilian assembly, 210/220 replacement
- List of Peterbilt vehicles, English Wikipedia: production years, class, model role
